Amazon's AutoRip now includes vinyl

For about as long as we can remember, each new CD we've purchased has made a trip to our computer for a good, old fashioned ripping, first thing out of the plastic. So the concept of offering up free MP3s with the purchase of a compact disc always felt a bit superfluous (particularly in these days when fewer and fewer are buying music in a physical form). The increasingly popular concept of offering up downloads with the purchase of a vinyl LP, on the other hand, makes an awful lot of sense -- after all, it's a lot harder for most of us to transfer that music onto our PCs. Amazon's embracing the concept by extending its AutoRip promotion to records, giving consumers a 256 Kbps cloud-based copy of the music they buy on vinyl. The promotion extends to thousands of titles -- anything sporting the AutoRip logo is fair game, including a number of top sellers like Mumford & Sons and the Lumineers. It's a nice way of supporting the growing boutique vinyl industry and helping keep a bit of focus on the album as self-contained work, rather than the move toward singles we've been experiencing as a result of the digital music explosion of the past several years.

Amazon today announced it has extended its popular AutoRip service to vinyl records. AutoRip was introduced in January of this year to give customers free digital copies of CDs they purchase. Starting today, when customers purchase an AutoRip vinyl record, a digital copy of that music will be automatically added to their Cloud Player libraries where it will be available, free of charge, for immediate playback or download. People no longer need to go through the hassle of making a digital copy of a vinyl record. Additionally, customers who have purchased AutoRip records at any time since Amazon first opened its Music Store in 1998 will find digital copies of those albums in their Cloud Player libraries – also for free. Thousands of records, including titles from every major record label, are available for AutoRip, and more titles are being added all the time – just look for the AutoRip logo.

"AutoRip has been wildly popular with customers since it launched earlier this year," said Steve Boom, Vice President of Digital Music for Amazon. "It's a fun experience to suddenly find CDs you purchased just today – or 15 years ago – added automatically and free of charge to your digital library. We're thrilled to extend this experience to vinyl records. Many of our music customers are vinyl fans and it's traditionally been very difficult to make digital versions of vinyl records – now customers can enjoy the albums they buy wherever they are, not just when they have access to a record player."

AutoRip features include:

Free digital copies: Amazon customers who purchase AutoRip vinyl records get free MP3 versions of the albums delivered directly to their Cloud Player libraries – automatically, immediately, and at no cost – no more hassling with finding a way to get them onto your favorite devices.

For vinyl record purchases dating back to 1998: MP3 versions of AutoRip records that customers have purchased since the launch of Amazon's music store in 1998 will also be delivered to their Cloud Player libraries for free.

Enjoy everywhere: Music can be played instantly from any Kindle Fire, Android phone or tablet, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Samsung TV, Roku, Sonos, from any web browser, and from Ford SYNC Applink-equipped vehicles, giving customers the freedom to enjoy music from more devices than any other major cloud locker music service.

Free storage and backup: All AutoRip MP3s are stored for free in customers' Cloud Player libraries and do not count against Cloud Player storage limits. Customers can buy music and know that it is safely stored in Cloud Player and accessible from any compatible device.

AutoRip for vinyl is available for industry-wide top-sellers and customer favorites like "Babel" by Mumford & Sons, "The Lumineers," by The Lumineers, "Unorthodox Jukebox," by Bruno Mars, "All that Echoes," by Josh Groban, "Greatest Hits – Chapter 1," by Kelly Clarkson and "Alabama Shakes," by Alabama Shakes. AutoRip for CDs launched in January of this year. Here's what customers said:

"The new AutoRip is great and it couldn't be easier. You keep offering more amazing services, and I am impressed every time. I will sing your praises to everyone I know! Thank you!"

"Amazon Cloud is one of the best services I've ever used on the internet; ever. The AutoRip feature has just upped the ante again."

"Amazon, thank you so much for creating the AutoRip feature. What a huge surprise!! All of this great music I've bought over the years on my laptop and Kindle Fire HD and anywhere else we wish!! You rock."

"AutoRip is simply awesome. A cloud player is a commonplace item these days, but MP3 files of CDs purchased in last 15 years instantly loaded and do not count toward number of songs quota?!! I even forgot that I purchased a Chick Corea CD back in 2002, yet Amazon gives me the MP3 files instantly. What a *very nice* surprise. Thank you Amazon!"

"Thank you for this new service AutoRip...AWESOME!!!!!"

Customers can sign up for a free Amazon Cloud Player account by visiting www.amazon.com/cloudplayer or by downloading one of our free apps from the Amazon Appstore for Android, Google Play or the iTunes Appstore. AutoRip for vinyl is the latest in a series of new digital music features from Amazon launched in recent months. Recently, Amazon announced a new Cloud Player for iPad app, just following the launch of an Amazon MP3 store optimized specifically for iPhone and iPod touch. Earlier this year, Amazon announced Cloud Player integration in Ford SYNC Applink-equipped vehicles, giving customers access to their Cloud Player libraries while on the road. Last year, Amazon launched Cloud Player apps for iPhone and iPod touch, Sonos, Roku and Samsung TVs. The company also introduced scan and match technology that enables customers to import music into Amazon Cloud Player by scanning their iTunes and Windows Media Player libraries and matching eligible songs on their computers to Amazon's music catalog. All matched songs – even music purchased from iTunes or ripped from CDs – are delivered in high-quality 256 Kbps audio and are made available instantly in customers' Cloud Player libraries, making it even easier for customers to enjoy their entire music collection anywhere. The Amazon MP3 Store now offers more than 23 million songs and everyday low prices on best-selling albums, many starting at $5.